WHANAU ORA
Nathan Homestead,
70 Hill Road, Manurewa
Until March 21 – weekdays from 9am-5pm, weekends from 1-4pm
THREE artists, who work for the Counties Manukau District Health Board, are staging an exhibition that intends to discuss and promote healthy family living.
Nellie-Ann Rerekura, Kirkpatrick Mariner and Richard S Cooper see first-hand how fast the statistics are increasing for chronic illnesses which are prevalent in the community. 
Through installation, photographs, drawing and sculpture, they reference the everyday physical, spiritual and historical sequences that impact on health.
Entry is free. For further information, phone (09) 267-0180 or you can email manukau.arts@manukau.govt.nz

MOTAT MILITARY WEEKEND
Motat, Western Springs
March 20 from 10am-5pm and March 21 from 10am-4pm
WITH interactive activities, exciting re-enactments and live displays and rides, the whole family can experience what military life was like for New Zealanders who fought in both world wars.
Children can scramble through the training obstacle course or get kitted up army-style with military face-paint, while adults can sit back and enjoy entertainment and music provided by the bands of the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery and the Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Auckland.
Entry is $35 for a family of two adults and up to four children, $8 for under-16s and students, and $7 for senior citizens. Admission is free for under-fives.

CYDEL AND THE GROOVEHOUSE
Barry Curtis Park, Chapel Road, Botany, Saturday, March 20, 4-6pm
SOUL sounds will resound around Barry Curtis Park as part of Manukau City Council’s Summer Sounds in the Park series. David Letoa and Saipele Nili lead this exciting ensemble, providing a wonderful soul and Pacific blues performance. Admission is free. Phone 262-5104 for more information.

PRIMA SWING RIOT
Cockle Bay Reserve, Howick, Sunday, March 21, from 4-6pm
MODERN swing sounds will fill the air at Cockle Bay Reserve when Prima Swing Riot play music from neo swing bands such as Cherry Poppin Daddies and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Admission is free. Phone 262-5104.

BANDA LATINA
Barry Curtis Park, Chapel Road, Botany, Saturday, March 27, 4-6pm.
TAKE a picnic and enjoy the latin sounds at Barry Curtis Park as part of Manukau City Council’s Summer Sounds in the Park series. The seven-piece group Banda Latina plays music ranging from the romantic bolero to the swinging bossa nova and the lively rhythms of salsa, lambada, cumbia and meringue. Admission is free. Phone 262-5104 for more information.

BRENDON HAM & BACK II BASICS
Cockle Bay Reserve, Howick, Sunday, March 28, from 4-6pm.
CLASSIC country and rock sounds will be heard at Cockle Bay Reserve as part of Manukau City Council’s Summer Sounds in the Park, with Brendon Ham and Back II Basics. Admission is free. Phone 262-5104.

THE END OF THE GOLDEN WEATHER
The End of the Golden Weather, Star of the Sea Park, 29 Granger Road, Howick
March 18-27, at 7.30pm.
AN ICONIC New Zealand play by Bruce Mason and directed by Fiona Bailey will be performed by the Howick Children’s and Youth Theatre. Set on an Auckland beach in the 1930s, The End of the Golden Weather is about growing up during the Depression, with the happiness of childhood set against a backdrop of social unrest. The play will be performed outdoors by a cast made up of the theatre’s older students. Tickets are $5 and can be booked by calling (09) 537-4943.

OPEN DAY AT UXBRIDGE
March 27, from 10am-2pm.
THE arts centre in Uxbridge Road, Howick, is opening its doors to the public and offering members of the community the chance to be creative for a day. The open day is a highlight on Uxbridge’s calendar, and allows visitors to participate in open classes and have-a-go sessions. Former St Kent’s student Chloe Bartlett will be performing, along with other local musicians. The event will also open the exhibition of the School Photography Project, an initiative for intermediate students to develop their skills.

JOHN MAYER
Vector Arena, Auckland City, April 28, at 8pm.
INTERNATIONAL pop phenomenon John Mayer will be performing at Auckland’s Vector Arena for one night only in April. Mayer erupted into the pop charts with his 2001 debut Room For Squares and followed this with the smash hit Your Body Is A Wonderland. Mayer is bringing back the 1970s and ‘80s California rock and pop sound on his new album, Battle Studies, for the tour of the same name. Visit www.ticketmaster.co.nz for more details and tickets.

BURT BACHARACH
Vector Arena, Auckland City
Friday, November 5
DESCRIBED by many as the greatest living composer, the legendary Burt Bacharach is coming to New Zealand.
The timeless singer and songwriter has penned written more than 70 top-40 hits, with nine number-ones and 48 songs making the top 10.  Bacharach will perform at Vector Arena on November 5 and in Christchurch two days later.  Previous concert dates had been changed due to the star undergoing emergency back surgery. Existing ticket-holders should already have been contacted to transfer their tickets to the new dates.
For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.co.nz or phone (09) 970-9700.

IN CONCERT
Raye Freedman Arts Centre, Epsom, Saturday, April 10, 7pm.
PIANIST Michael Houstoun teams up with Ashley Brown to present a season-opening concert. The programme will feature works by composers Beethoven, Fauré and Rachmaninoff. Brown is an award-winning cellist, part of the acclaimed classical group NZ Trio. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online by visiting www.iticket.co.nz

STEPPING OUT
SkyCity Theatre, Auckland City, June 10 to July 3, various times.
VOTED comedy of the year in London Standard Theatre Awards, Stepping Out has proved its crowd-pleasing power in countless productions around the world. Mavis, a dancer who never made it past the chorus line, has become a teacher. Her pupils, a rag-tag assortment of seven women and one overwhelmed man, all have their own reasons for learning to dance. Commandingly accompanied on the piano by the cantankerous Mrs Fraser, this less than magnificent seven stumble their way from nervous beginnings to an anxiety-ridden debut. Visit www.ticketek.co.nz for tickets priced $40-$52.

JOOLS HOLLAND AND HIS RHYTHM AND BLUES ORCHESTRA
ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland City, Tuesday, March 30, 8.30pm.
TICKETS to see the popular British pianist and bandleader are now on sale. Last time Jools Holland made his “day trip to Auckland” with an 18-piece band, those lucky enough to see the concert were treated to an incredible performance, described by some as “like a religious experience”. He and his band will be appearing with special guest Ruby Turner and guest vocalist Louise Marshall. For tickets, visit www.buytickets.co.nz or phone (09) 357-3355.

AUCKLAND MUSEUM
Auckland Domain, Open daily from 10am-5pm, except Christmas Day.
WITH free admission over the summer, Auckland Museum is a great destination for families. As well as the Stevenson Discovery Centre, there’s a show and sleepover programme based on William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the popular Dangerous Museum for Boys and Girls trails, DIY Museum Magic activities and much more. For more information, phone (09) 306-7067 or visit www.aucklandmuseum.com.

FREE TAI CHI AND MEDITATION
Fo Guang Shan Temple, Chapel Road, Flat Bush, Every Saturday from 10am-noon
CREATE a moment of peace and stillness on Saturday mornings at the Fo Guang Shan Temple with these free sessions. Just walk in wearing comfortable clothing and start your weekend with a tai chi lesson, motive meditation walk, still meditation and group discussion. And why not check out the vegetarian lunches. No bookings required.

ENCOMPASS AUCKLAND
Auckland Museum, Pictorial Gallery 2nd floor, Most Sunday afternoons, 2pm.
A panoramic view of Auckland, seen through the photography collections of the museum. Designed around the compass points of the region. Visitors can also go up to the dome.

TRAINING GROUND
Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts, 13 Reeves Rd Pakuranga.
Dutch artist Aernout Mik’s new video wall at the gallery deals with border crossings and detentions.

TE PAPA ONLINE
www.collections.tepapa.govt.nz
The full catalogue of the national art collection and Te Papa’s history, Pacific cultures and other collections moves online. 25,000-plus high-quality images, allowing the online visitor to explore the detail of an artwork or specimen.

FOOTPRINTS OF MANUKAU
Online exhibition for Auckland Festival of Photography: www.manukau-libraries.govt.nz.
A selection of historic photographs from the Manukau Libraries’ collection. The exhibition is an evolving one and residents are invited to submit images for possible future inclusion.